HOW TO PRONOUNCE
recalcitrant
/ɹɪˈkælsɪtɹənt/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
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rih-KAL-sih-trunt: put the main beat on KAL.
The first c is a k sound; the second is an s sound. Finish with the tr cluster and a light “unt,” without adding a vowel between t and r.
4 syllables · Stress on syllable 2
TRY SAYING
“The story follows a recalcitrant apprentice who refuses every order.”
APG practice sentence · CC BY-SA 4.0
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗What does recalcitrant mean?
adjective
- Marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey authority.
- Unwilling to cooperate socially.
- Difficult to deal with or to operate.
More meanings (2)
adjective
- Not viable for an extended period; damaged by drying or freezing.
noun
- A person who is recalcitrant.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ɹɪˈkælsɪtɹənt/
Pronunciation used in the listening tip.
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
The assembly of delegates has no coercive power whatever, and a majority can do nothing against a recalcitrant minority.
The recalcitrant came out, gun in hand, but the wily chief was too quick for him.
More book examples (3)
The little body of men who expelled the few recalcitrant deputies were not soldiers even, but the gendarmes of the Assembly itself.
He had often thought of Arabella’s remarks that he should have been more severe with Sue, that her recalcitrant spirit would soon have been broken.
Mr. Striker bore his recalcitrant pupil a grudge, but he was evidently trying both to be fair and to respect the susceptibilities of his companions.